Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is one of the most common diagnoses of hospital patients in the United States, with over five million cases occurring yearly. High levels of bad cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL-C)), total cholesterol (Total-C) or triglycerides are often associated with increased incidence of CHD, stroke and other vascular events. These patients are frequently treated with lipid lowering drugs, such as statins. In certain aspects, the biological mechanisms of these statins remain unclear.
However, many individuals exist who have normal levels of bad cholesterol, total cholesterol, or triglycerides, but still suffer from or are at risk for such vascular events. These vascular events pose serious problems to patients and the physicians who treat them. Physicians continue to search for better preventative and/or curative treatments for vascular diseases.
Hence, a need exists for new and improved treatment options for individuals who have vascular diseases, particularly for those individuals having cholesterol levels in normal ranges. Additionally, a need exists to determine the mechanisms underlying vascular disorders, so that better therapies which target these patient types can be developed.